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Because I Said So streaming

2007 Movie United States Romance, Comedy 102 min Ages 12+
By: Michael Lehmann With: Stephen Collins, Tom Everett Scott, Diane Keaton, Mandy Moore, Piper Perabo

Approaching age sixty, Daphne Wilder divorced when she was young, has not dated since, and has raised on her own and has fostered a close, loving relationship with her three daughters, Maggie, Mae and Milly, she now assisting Milly in her successful catering business. Daphne was mother of the bride for a first time at Maggie's wedding, and a second time at Mae's wedding, but she fears there won't be a third and final time for a Milly wedding in insecure Milly attracting only who seem to be the wrong men. Not wanting Milly to turn into another "alone" version of herself at age sixty, Daphne, without telling any of her daughters let alone Milly, decides to take matters into her own hands by placing a personal ad for a potential mate for Milly. Scheduling all seventeen interviews in succession at a restaurant, Daphne finds the ad has attracted one "loser" after another, until she reaches number seventeen, Jason, an architect who is handsome and seems smart, well-bred, successful and forward thinking about his life. The two arrange for Jason to meet Milly by "accident". What Daphne does not anticipate is that there ends up being a number eighteen, Johnny, who witnessed the interviews from the sidelines as the guitarist performing at the restaurant, and while Johnny did approach Daphne in his interest in meeting Milly from what he heard of the interviews, she immediately dismissed him solely because he is a musician and thus irresponsible by nature, much like her ex-husband. In their accidental meetings, Milly embarks on a relationship with both Jason and Johnny concurrently, and upon learning about Johnny in the picture, Daphne starts pushing Jason as the favored one to Milly. Beyond Milly, Jason and Johnny's own thoughts about their two relationships, the two men who know nothing about the other being in Milly's life, a question becomes how Milly eventually learning about the ad, an inevitability, will factor into what happens, not only about Milly's love life but her relationship with her mother. In helping Milly with her love life and only fostered by watching old Gary Cooper movies, Daphne may dredge up latent feelings of romance of her own, it which she may find in the most unlikely of places.

Filmium rating
56%

Festival Achievements

International Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam 2006
Selections:
IDFA Archive

Mood

Comedic
Light
Lighthearted
Romantic

Cast & Crew

Michael Lehmann
Karen Leigh Hopkins
Jessie Nelson
Lauren Graham
Diane Keaton
Stephen Collins
Gabriel Macht
Piper Perabo
Tom Everett Scott
Mandy Moore

Cinematic Technique

Character-Driven
Character-Focused
Comedic Timing
Dialogue-Driven
Dialogue-Heavy
Situational Comedy

Narrative Structure

Linear
Predictable
Romantic Arc

Pace

Brisk
Dynamic
Fast-Paced

Style

Contemporary
Light-Hearted
Romantic Comedy

Time-Period

2000S

Central Conflict

Daughter'S Independence
Interference
Mother Vs Daughter
Mother'S Matchmaking Schemes
Romantic Confusion
Self-Identity

Characters

Overbearing Mother
Romantic Interests
Young Women

Ending

Family Resolution
Happy Ending
Reconciliation
Romantic Reconciliation
Self-Acceptance

Historical Context

2000S

Key Plot Points

Daughter'S Choice
Double Dating
Mother'S Matchmaking

Plot

Family Dynamics
Family Meddling
Mother-Daughter Relationship
Mother-Daughter Relationships
Personal Growth
Romantic Entanglement
Romantic Entanglements
Romantic Misunderstandings

Setting

American Suburb
Contemporary
Family Home
Modern Suburban
Social Gatherings
Urban
Urban Setting

Shooting Location

United States

Theme

Family Dynamics
Independence
Love
Romantic Pursuit
Self-Discovery

Genre

Comedy
Drama
Romantic Comedy

Audiences

Adult Viewers
Adults
Female Audience
Romantic Comedy Fans
Women

Titles

Because I Said So

Awards

Golden Raspberry Nomination

Box Office Success

Domestic Gross Over $42 Million
Moderate Opening

Critical Reception

Metacritic 26
Negative Reviews
Rotten Tomatoes 4%

Popularity

Female-Dominated Audience

Ratings

Cinemascore A

Reception

Box Office Success
Female Audience Majority
Mixed Reception
Negative Reviews
Poor Critical Reviews

Production Countries

United States

Release Year

2007
mowizz ID: 2dd71ce9-c3cc-4a9d-bc9f-309c38d95509
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